AMERICAN UYiMENOPTERA. 283 



most complete fraternization ensued; there was the usual quick chal- 

 lcn<iiiig with autenua3, but during the half hour that I spent intently 

 watching every movement, there was not the slightest demonstration 

 of hostility. 



The final test was made in an artificial nest, prepared in a glass jar 

 witliin which earth, sticks and surface refuse were placed. Insects 

 taken from a number of hills situated in parts of the field most remote 

 from each other, were introduced ; cocoons from other hills were added ; 

 aphides, water and honey were given them. They united with the 

 utmost harmony in building galleries, caring for the cocoons, and de- 

 fending the nest from intruded ants of other species and spiders. From 

 time to time ants and cocoons were added from yet different hills, but 

 were always and at once adopted. It would thus appear that among 

 the myriads of creatures occupying these more than IGOO hills, there 

 is complete fraternity, if they be not indeed one mighty confederacy; 

 a republic, which in the number of its separate states, and the multi- 

 tude of its total population, far exceeds the most enthusiastic prophecy 

 of the future of the Great Republic. If there be anything like local 

 attachment among the inmates of the individual hills it must be very 

 slight, or be suspended at certain periods. It would be hard to con- 

 ceive of anything like local patriotism or jealousy of neighboring com- 

 munities leading to war, existing among hills which were the subjects 

 of the above experiments. And yet some other observer may record 

 on the same ground such sanguinary battles as Huber has related. It 

 may 1^ that the combativeness of these ants is dependent upon some 

 internal condition of the formicaries, and is excited only at certain 

 seasons. 



Night Work.— I may mention here another diffierence between the 

 habits of our falluw ants and those of Switzerland as described by M. 

 Huber. That naturalist records that the Swiss ants do not work at 

 night, but shut themselves within their hills. On the contrary, the 

 ants at Camp Riddle, when observed (as they were by me) during 

 nearly every hour of tlie night from sunset to sunrise, were found to 

 be pursuing the very same labors in the same way, and in the same 

 fields as during the day. The avenues, tree-paths, feeding stations, 

 feeding grounds, and hills were always thronged day and night. 



Bcliavioiir under FroNt.— There was one notable exception to 

 this. Sabbath night (Aug. 2()th), was very cold. The thermometer at 

 HoUidaysburg fell to 53" (Fahr.), a change of 30° from the tempera- 

 ture of the day. The next day frost was reported to have fallen at 

 Frankstown and Newry in the vicinity. We became conscious of the 



